Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-24

The Minority at Minneapolis Declare
Their Independence.

Their Independence.
The dissenters from the action taken at the
Minneapolis convention have declared open wal
with the executive board Of the Knights OF Labor
| and have issued their declaration OF independence
on returning from the convention about thirty.
i've delegates, representing fifteen States stopped
in Chicago and determined TO bring about a reor.
ganization OF the order. They elected provis-
ional committee Of i've members of which Charles
f. Seib twas made secretary. communication
was drafted at Secretary Seib's ONCE yesterday
| and will be forwarded to-day In circular form &c
the Knights of Labor all over this country The
communication says:
Indignant at the usurpation Of power, the gross
violation or TIE laws or our order by those high In
authority, disguised with those whose LOYALTY &c
the present ring has been gained by the pickfngs
receive as areward for their services fncensed
at the fawning sycophants who crawl on their
knees In slavfSh submission to the most corrupt,
the most hypocritical, the most autocratic and
ganiZatlon, we therefore affirm the motto OF our
order that when bad men combine the good must
associate, else they will fall, one by one, an un-
pltled sacrlnce In contemplate struggle. We
assert the nour has come when as honest Inen and
women we declare ourselves independent OF those
Mno On, nave aoused the confidence reposed in them
Dy our order. Our duty to the workfngmen and
women demands that we at once reorganlze the
ORDER OF the knights OF Labor on basis which will
secure the autonomy OF the trades and the sover-
eighty OF the districts In all pertaining TO their
trade and local affairs and to prevent II from be-
ing used In the future as machine to ll the cof-
IerS OF designing and INSCRIPTIONS men as 1t is by
those now In power.
1--WE affirm the following to be the reasons that
Tase oolpeiea tnis serious action on our part:
Tue general ONCE mas become a luxurious haunt
Tor men whose chief aim is TO benefit SELF
pecunlarily and otherwise, and Is no longer the
gerusalein OF the humble and honest knight. p
Inere mas Deen for more than year beginning
prior TO the Richmond SESSION. an understanding
WHICH, LOT lack or better word we Will call con-
splracy, Tor the purpose OF holding the salaried
the general assembly. 8. This conspiracy has
USED the secret channels and the funds of the
DerS ana against others. Certain persons some
times called general lecturers" general organ
n ,, general Instructors" and general many
otner Things, nave been paid extravaganza sums,
DOth as wages and expenses when their chief
WORK was TO ''fx" certain districts The lobbyists
Oh railroad corporations would turn green with
envy did they know the superlative excellence at
talned by these boOd-Suckers OF the Knights OF
LABOR 4. Organizers commissions have been re-
FUSED 10 members who were known TO disagree with
the methods OF the ring, though the applications
were Endorsed by the district assembly To which
appIcaht belonged, and commissions have been
recalled because OF the refusal OF the holders to
1ali down and worship the powers that be- s. Dis
trlct ana local assemblies have been suspended or
expelled and deprived OF voice I'm the general as
Selnoly because they were known as opponents 10
the policy OF the conSpirators. g. ConsplracieS
nave Deen Matched against dissenting members by
sne alu OF corrupt tools In the district assembly
local assemblies, or both OF such members. Z. The
records OF the general Office have been fixed and
uocJored 50 as TO rule out or admit, as the case
might De, general assembly representatives 8.
Men have been admitted as delegates to the
general assembly who clearly had no con-
sutut1onal rights to seats, while Others have
been refused upon technicalfttes contrary TO pre-
cedent and established custom. In all cases the
Test was lor or against the ring. 9. Many thou
stnus OF collars OF the orders funds have been
illegally eXpended-freQuentIy against the earnest
protest OF honest and law abiding members Ex-
oravagant motel bills contracted by the families OF
sehera oncers nave been paid out OF the orders
funds, as have family laundry and car bills.
FUNDS have been donated and loaned to officers
and their families and friends for their own per-
sonar Use. General officers, organizers and lee
turers have not only been paid liberal salaries and
allowed heavy expenses from the general treasury,
put nave charged additional sums to the locals and
districts. 10 Honest men devoted TO the cause or
labor have been made the scapegoatS OF the blum
dering high officials and driven In disgrace from
better their condition have been strang,ed by the
rlng, and IL Is charity to say for no meaner
reason than in response TO the cIamor OF
boycott has been used to fnJure the
LABOR press, union establishments and the
Pfoducts OF Knights OF Labor and union labor for
the sole purpose OF downing" workingmen and
women who could not be used by the conSpiratOrs
ID Persons who were not members Of the order
have been provided, Tor personal reasons with Iu.
cratiye positions In the general Offices, ID. The
constitution has been altered in an illegal manner
IL mas been tempered with, and measures inimicai
10 the interests OF the order at large have been
rdiroaded Into what Is called .'law.D Is. War has
been waged by the administration ring against
Ira union and trades districts The motto Of
the ring has been, "Down with trades districts;
externlnate the trades unions" This, in spite OF
our obligation, 40 extend a helping hand TO
all branches OF honorable toll" 16 Nearly
every important strike or lockout In which
the general officers il,erfered was lost
II. AS a result or this laundering wishy-waShy
lncOmpent, and stupidity arbitrary policy, the
membership Of the order has decreased 2i7 g24
members In one year. Is. In spite OF the decrease
OF membership they have increased the annual
expenditures Of the general officers TO half q
million dollars. 49, There was no iUemlZed account
vi receipts ana expenditures issued either quar-
Terry, as had formerly been the custom or to the
general assembly. 20 In the general assembly
arguments were met by buncombe gag law was
reduced 10 a system by the Use of the previous
quSsIion; outrageous decisions rendered: appeals
and protests ignored all for the purpose OF cover
Ing up the rascalty OF those In powerr